Meaning
Stating one's destination to home.
Cultural Background
The 'Serbian goodbye' can take a long time. Saying 'Idem kući' is often the start of a long conversation at the doorstep. In some mountainous regions, 'doma' is used more frequently than 'kući', reflecting older linguistic layers. Due to Austro-Hungarian influence, you might hear more formal structures, but 'Idem kući' remains the standard. Young people often use 'gajba' instead of 'kuća' to sound more casual and modern.
Drop the 'Ja'
In Serbian, you don't need to say 'Ja' (I). 'Idem kući' is perfectly complete and more natural.
The 'ć' sound
Make sure to pronounce 'kući' with a soft 'ć', not a hard 'č', or it might sound slightly off to native ears.
Meaning
Stating one's destination to home.
Drop the 'Ja'
In Serbian, you don't need to say 'Ja' (I). 'Idem kući' is perfectly complete and more natural.
The 'ć' sound
Make sure to pronounce 'kući' with a soft 'ć', not a hard 'č', or it might sound slightly off to native ears.
Use it to leave
If you want to leave a social situation politely, just say 'Izvinite, moram kući' (Sorry, I must [go] home).
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'ići'.
Ja _____ kući.
The first person singular form of 'ići' is 'idem'.
Which sentence is correct for 'I am going home'?
Choose the right option:
'Idem kući' is the standard idiomatic expression for going home.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Gde ćeš? B: Umoran sam, _____ _____.
The context of being tired suggests the person is leaving to go home.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are leaving your office at 5 PM. What do you say to your colleague?
This is the standard phrase for leaving a place to go home.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesJa _____ kući.
The first person singular form of 'ići' is 'idem'.
Choose the right option:
'Idem kući' is the standard idiomatic expression for going home.
A: Gde ćeš? B: Umoran sam, _____ _____.
The context of being tired suggests the person is leaving to go home.
You are leaving your office at 5 PM. What do you say to your colleague?
This is the standard phrase for leaving a place to go home.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsIt's grammatically correct but sounds very redundant. 'Idem kući' already implies it's your house.
Yes, it's an old dative form of 'kuća' that became an adverb.
You still say 'Idem kući'. It refers to your home, regardless of the building type.
You say 'Idem kod roditelja'.
Yes, it is neutral and polite.
In Serbian, 'dom' usually needs a preposition or a different context. 'Kući' is the standard adverb.
Usually, you'd say 'Idem u Srbiju' or 'Vraćam se u domovinu'. 'Idem kući' is for your specific residence.
Otišao sam kući (masculine) or Otišla sam kući (feminine).
Croatians often say 'Idem doma', but they understand 'Idem kući' perfectly.
Yes, if you consider the hotel your 'home' for the duration of the trip, it's common to say it.
Related Phrases
Vraćam se kući
similarI am returning home
Kod kuće sam
contrastI am at home
Idem kod tebe
builds onI am going to your place
Hajdemo kući
specialized formLet's go home
Bežim kući
informalI'm running/escaping home
